Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal introduces Medicare-for-all bill

Atlanta, GA, February 28, 2019: Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Debbie Dingell, other members of Congress and advocates today introduced the Medicare For All Act of 2019 in the House.

The Medicare for All Act of 2019 pushes for an expansion to the popular Medicare program, so that every person living in the United States has guaranteed access to healthcare with comprehensive benefits.

“Today in America, 30 million people are uninsured. 40 million are under-insured. We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world and yet our outcomes are the worst of all industrialized countries. I and the more than 100 co-sponsors of this bill refuse to allow this to continue,” said lead sponsor Rep. Jayapal, through a press release.

“It’s time to put people’s health over profit. Our bill will
cover everyone. Not just those who are fortunate enough to have
employer-sponsored insurance. Not just children. Not just seniors. Not just
those who are healthy. Everyone. Because healthcare is a human right. We will
need every single person in the country to help us, to stand with us, to
organize and to fight for this,” said
Rep. Jayapal. “Because the industry lobby is going to pour hundreds of
millions of dollars into killing this bill, saying it costs too much, scaring
you into thinking you’re giving up something, pitting the healthy against the
sick and the young against the old. It’s time to ensure that healthcare is a
right and not a privilege, guaranteed to every single person in our country.
It is time for Medicare for All.”

“The time is now to ensure that every American has access to
quality, affordable healthcare,” said
Rep. Dingell. “Introducing this bill is a critical step in this long
journey, but much work remains. We need to engage every stakeholder and build
the consensus that will ensure every person is covered. Medicare for All is the
beginning of a national conversation about how to improve healthcare in the
United States. The time for action is here.”

“As the largest union of registered nurses in the country,
we could not be more proud of Rep. Jayapal and Rep. Dingell for leading the way
on this legislation that will change and save our patients’ lives. This bill is
not only the most comprehensive Medicare for All act we have seen to date, but
it is being introduced at a time when a majority of Americans are fed up with
incremental tweaks to the current broken system and are demanding Medicare for
All,” said NNU Executive Director
Bonnie Castillo, RN. “It’s the right bill, at the right moment—and
now we are organizing an unprecedented grassroots movement to demand that our
elected officials support this legislation.”

“In America, we pay more – much more – for health care than
other countries, and we get less – much less. Tens of millions go uncovered,
tens of millions more find that their insurance doesn’t cover what they need,
and our health outcomes are inferior to other countries,” said Robert Weissman, President of Public
Citizen. “We can do better. With the Medicare for All Act of 2019, we
can provide coverage to every American, expand and improve coverage for every
American – all at no additional cost, thanks to the massive waste and
inefficiency that Medicare-for-All will eliminate. The time for
Medicare-for-All has come.”

“Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Debbie Dingell and the
co-sponsors of the Medicare for All Act are fighting for all Americans. Current
Medicare beneficiaries are among those with the most to gain from this bill,
which will improve Medicare by adding long-term care, as well as dental,
hearing, and vision services, while eliminating all premiums, co-pays, and
deductibles,” said Nancy Altman,
President of Social Security Works. “It will also bring down the
outrageous cost of prescription drugs. It’s time to pass this bill and make
high quality health care a right for everyone in America.”

“The Medicare For All Act is the only viable fix to a health care system that leaves far too many people in this country behind. I have the privilege of good employer-based insurance, but even that wasn’t enough when my husband was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I pay $830 a month just in premiums, just to struggle to afford copays and prescription costs, and still any job change or financial emergency could threaten my husband’s life,” said Jennifer Epps-Addison, Network President and Co-Executive Director, Center for Popular Democracy. “A system that profits off our pain and misfortune will never deliver the health care our families deserve — and that’s why we’re rallying behind this groundbreaking legislation.”

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1 comment

Kem ChoMarch 1, 2019 at 7:16 am

Great dreams, good goals … btw, kill private Health insurance. Current Medicare receipients paid taxes all thru their working career to get benefits. So, no details on financing. What happened to Obama Care law. No admission from Democrats that it failed.

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